A cigar is a small roll of manufactured tobacco leaves carefully made up, and intended to be smoked by lighting at one end and drawing the smoke through it. The best cigars are made in Havana, Cuba, and have been since at least the 19th century. Research Cigar
The Trent Affair was an incident of the American Civil War. Towards the end of 1861 two commissioners named J M Mason and John Slidell, dispatched by the Confederacy, embarked at Havana in a British ship, the Trent, bound for England. The Trent was stopped on the high seas by a Federal man-of-war, and the two commissioners were taken prisoner. Popular sentiment in America approved of the action, but President Abraham Lincoln recognised that a breach of international law had been committed, and in response to the British Government's formal demand, restored the prisoners to liberty, thereby averting the threat of war with Britain. Research Trent Affair
The Havana Brown or Havana is a hybrid breed of shorthair domestic cat developed during the 1950s with Siamese ancestry. The Havana is gentle, affectionate and has a quiet voice and large ears. They are a lively breed, examining objects with their paws rather than the more usual smelling of them. Research Havana Brown
Viscount Adam Duncan was a Scottish seaman, He was born in 1731 at Dundee and died in 1804. He went to sea when young, and was a post-captain in 1761. In the following year he served at the taking of Havana; and in 1779 he shared in the victory of Admiral Rodney over the Spaniards. In 1789 he became rear-admiral of the blue, and in 1794 vice-admiral of the white squadron. The following year he was appointed commander of the North Sea fleet, and in October, 1797, won a brilliant victory over the Dutch fleet off Camperdown, for which he was rewarded with the title of ViscountDuncan and a pension of 2000 pounds a year. Research Adam Duncan
Christopher Columbus (real name Cristoforo Colombo, known in Spanish as Christoval Colon) was an Italian navigator. He was born in 1451 at Genoa and died in 1506. His father, Domenico Colombo, a poor wool-comber, gave him a careful education. He appears to have gone to sea at an early age and to have navigated all parts of the Mediterranean and some of the coasts beyond the Straits of Gibraltar. In 1470 we find him at Lisbon, where he married the daughter of Bartolommeo de Palestrello, a distinguished navigator. He had gradually come to the conclusion that there were unknown lands belonging to Eastern Asia separated from Europe by the Atlantic: whilst the Portuguese were seeking to reach India by a south-east course round Africa he was convinced that there must be a shorter way by the west. He applied in vain to Genoa for assistance, and equally fruitless were his endeavours to interest John II of Portugal in the enterprise. He then determined to apply to the Spanish court; and after many disappointments he induced Ferdinand and Isabella to equip and man three vessels for a voyage of discovery.
It was early in the morning of Friday, on the 3rd of August, 1492, that Christopher Columbus set sail from the port of Palos, and after sailing for two months the expedition narrowly escaped failure. The variation of the needle so alarmed the crews that they were on the point of breaking out into open mutiny, and he was obliged to promise that he would turn back if three more days brought no discovery. On the third day (the 12th of October 1492) the island of Guanahani or San Salvador was sighted, which Christopher Columbus believed to belong to Eastern Asia and to be connected with India - a belief which he carried with him to his grave. Hence the mistaken name of Indians applied to the natives of America, and that of West Indies applied to the group of islands of which Guanahani forms one.
On landing Christopher Columbus threw himself upon his knees and kissed the earth, returning thanks to God. The natives collected round him in silent astonishment, and his men, ashamed of their disobedience and distrust, threw themselves at his feet, begging his forgiveness. Christopher Columbus, drawing his sword, planted the royal standard, and in the name of his sovereigns took possession of the country, which, in memory of his preservation, he called San Salvador. He then sailed in search of other lands, and discovered Cuba, St Domingo, and some other of the West India islands. Being so far successful, he built a fort at Hispaniola, Haiti, left some of his men there, and set out on his return to Europe, where he was received with almost royal honours.
In 1493 he set out on his second great voyage from Cadiz, with three large ships of heavy burden and fourteen caravels, carrying 1500 men. He discovered .the island of Dominica, and afterwards Mariegalante, Guadeloupe, and Porto Rico, and at length arrived at Hispaniola. Finding the colony destroyed, he built a fortified town, which he called, in honour of the queen, Isabella. He then left the island in order to make new discoveries, visited Jamaica, and returning after a voyage of five months, worn down with fatigue, found to his great joy that his brother Bartolommeo had arrived at Isabella with provisions and other supplies for the colony.
Meanwhile a general dissatisfaction had broken out among his companions, who, instead of the expected treasures, had found hardships and labour. This and news of calumnies being set on foot against him at home induced him to return to Spain, where his presence, and probably also the treasure he brought, silenced his enemies.
In May, 1498, he sailed with six vessels on his third voyage. Three of his vessels he sent direct to Hispaniola; with the three others he took a more southerly direction, and having discovered Trinidad and the continent of America, returned to Hispaniola, His colony had now been removed from Isabella, according to his orders, to the other side of the island, and a new fortress erected called St Domingo. Christopher Columbus found the colony in a state of confusion, but soon restored tranquillity. His enemies, in the meantime, endeavoured to convince his sovereigns that his plan was to make himself independent, and Christopher Columbus was not only displaced, but Francisco de Bobadilla, a new governor who had come from Spain, even sent him to that country in chains.
On his arrival in 1500 orders were sent directing him to be set at liberty and inviting him to court, but for this injurious treatment he never got redress, though great promises were made. After some time he was able to set out on his fourth and last voyage, in 1502, in four slender vessels supplied by the court. In this expedition he was accompanied by his brother Bartolommeo and his son Hernando. He encountered every imaginable disaster from storms and shipwreck, and returned to Spain, sick and exhausted, in 1504. The death of the queen soon followed, and he urged in vain on Ferdinand the fulfilment of his promises; but after two years of illness, humiliations, and despondency, Christopher Columbus died at Valladolid. His remains were transported, according to his will, to St Domingo, but on the cession of Hispaniola to France they were removed to Havana in Cuba in 1796. In 1899 they were carried back to Spain. Research Christopher Columbus
Clara Mass was an American nurse. She was born in 1876 at East Orange, New Jersey and died in 1901 at Havana, Cuba of yellow fever. She was the only woman and the only American to die during the yellow fever experiments of 1900 to 1901. After graduating from the Newark German Hospital School of Nursing in 1895 she volunteered to serve as a contract nurse with the U.S. Army Medical Department at the outbreak of the Spanish-American war of 1898. During her first term of service she worked at army camps in Florida, Georgia, and Cuba. She volunteered again in 1900 and was sent first to the Philippines and then back to Cuba, where at the Las AnimasHospital in Havana, she volunteered to take part in an experiment conducted by Major William C Gorgas and John Guiteras on yellow fever immunization. The experiment involved her being infected with the disease, from which she promptly died ten days later. Research Clara Mass
Narcisso Lopez was a Cuban military adventurer. He was born in Havana and died in 1851. A refugee living in America, in 1849, 1850 and 1851, he planned, with the aid of Governor Quitman, of Mississippi, and other Southerners, the capture and annexation of Cuba. The first expedition was frustrated by President Tyler. The second, 300 strong, landed at Cardenas and captured the town, but was quickly expelled. Narcisso Lopez was arrested in Savannah, Georgia, but released for want of evidence. The third expedition landed at Las Pazas in 1851. The inhabitants fled instead of giving their aid. The invaders were set upon by the Government troops and quickly dispersed. Narcisso Lopez fled to the mountains, but was captured and executed at Havana, on September the 1st, 1851. Research Narcisso Lopez
Andy Garcia (real name Andres Arturo Garcia Menendez) is a Cuban actor, film director and producer. He was born in 1956 at Havana. Research Andy Garcia
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Cigar
